New NZ-Grown Tech Cuts Costs And Admin For Sole Traders Getting Paid

Kiwi sole traders can now get paid on the spot without costly credit card surcharges, as local tech disruptors Hnry and Volley launch a new pay-by-bank service that cuts fees and admin for the self-employed.

Hnry’s most recent Sole Trader Pulse - the only independent survey of New Zealand sole traders - found nearly half of those who charge clients using fee-based payment methods, including credit and debit cards, absorb the cost themselves. Those fees are often charged as a percentage of the total transaction.

Now, in just a few taps using Scan to Pay, sole traders, from tradies and psychologists to market stallholders and more, can generate a QR code in the Hnry app. Their client can scan and approve payments in their bank app, with funds transferred directly between bank accounts for a flat fee of just 35 cents per transaction.

Launched in late 2025 by Jack Callister and James McCann, Volley is a New Zealand-built payment method that uses open banking technology to enable secure, account-to-account payments without sharing bank details or using credit or debit cards.

Callister says feedback from first-time users is that the service delivers a real “a-ha moment”.

“People wonder why we haven’t always paid each other like this. It will modernise how sole traders get paid.”

James Fuller, Hnry co-founder and CEO, says demand for an on-the-go payment option like Volley is high among customers, helping sole traders save money at a time when every dollar counts and reliable cash flow is critical.

“It cuts both admin time and costs. Personal trainers, for example, don’t want to carry a card terminal, pay high fees, send invoices or chase payments. Now they can get paid on the spot, with no charge to their customer and just a small flat fee for them.

“Innovation like this helps stimulate the economy from the ground up, and makes open banking a day-to-day reality for hundreds and thousands of Kiwis. The fact it’s built here in NZ is even better,” he says.

Volley co-founder James McCann is no stranger to Hnry, having worked there before he left to create the payment app. It’s now one of Aotearoa's few independently owned open banking payment providers, built on the secure, API-based infrastructure that's become standard in the UK and other European countries.

"We've worked with open banking systems overseas, so we know what great looks like," says McCann.

"The infrastructure here has caught up, and we've built Volley on top of it. It's great to see the government step in and really back open banking with the Consumer Data Right - it's primed to become the way Kiwis pay and get paid”.

Fuller says the service will be exclusive to Hnry’s New Zealand customers, reflecting the company’s focus on local innovation, even as it expands into Australia and the UK.

“For people who work for themselves, getting paid shouldn’t be the hardest part of the job. Open banking lets us strip away friction and fees, and give sole traders a faster, fairer way to get paid - that’s a meaningful shift for how self-employment works in New Zealand.”

Hnry will be gradually rolling out Scan to Pay to all its customers over the next few weeks. More information can be found here: https://hnry.co.nz/resources/product/scan-to-pay/

About Volley

Volley is a new “Pay by Bank” service designed for Kiwis, offering peer-to-peer and consumer-to-business payments. Volley lets you request money or pay friends without account numbers. It integrates directly with banks via Open Banking, and users confirm each payment securely in their banking app. Find out more at www.volley.nz.

About Hnry

Founded in 2017, Hnry is one of New Zealand’s largest accountancy firms. It provides a pay-as-you-go, all-in-one digital accounting service that handles invoicing, expenses, payments, taxes, filings, and expert on-demand support. Hnry takes care of all the financial admin for contractors, freelancers, sole traders, and the self-employed, allowing them to focus on getting the job done rather than worrying about tax and compliance. Hnry recently won the ‘Innovation in Financial Services’ category at the 2024 INFINZ Awards. Named in the Deloitte Fast 50 in 2023, 2024 and 2025, Hnry was also recognised in 2025 as the Fastest Growing Technology Business in the Wellington and Lower North Island region.

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